Barrie B Posted July 17, 2014 Report Posted July 17, 2014 Hello all, I have a Sayagaki that I am having trouble translating, and would like some assistance please (I see 'Mitsu'). Oddly, the Shirasaya has a Tsunagi in it.. I have never seen a Tsunagi in a Shirasaya before...? Why would it be so? What is the point? Anyway, I think this Sayagaki is from Hon'ami Koson (1875-1955) but not sure what the attribution says. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you in advance. Barrie B. Quote
Guido Posted July 17, 2014 Report Posted July 17, 2014 I have never seen a Tsunagi in a Shirasaya before...? Why would it be so? What is the point?To preserve a shirasaya with an important sayagaki when a new one is made. Quote
Barrie B Posted July 17, 2014 Author Report Posted July 17, 2014 Guido, Thank you for your prompt assistance. I see Mitsuyo now, thank you. So (Hawleys) MIT340 perhaps..? Any ideas on the rest of the Sayagaki? Is the smaller kanji describing the blade/ owner? I am guessing the Ura is Hon'ami? Is this considered an important Sayagaki? Or just by the previous owner? Barrie. Quote
Guido Posted July 17, 2014 Report Posted July 17, 2014 So (Hawleys) MIT340 perhaps..? Any ideas on the rest of the Sayagaki? Is the smaller kanji describing the blade/ owner? I am guessing the Ura is Hon'ami?On the front there's also the length noted, and on the backside it's signed by who wrote the sayagaki. Time for a little homework, don't you think? Tell us what you see and we'll fill in the rest. :DIs this considered an important Sayagaki? Or just by the previous owner?The previous owner obviously thought it worth keeping, and I would, too. Quote
k morita Posted July 17, 2014 Report Posted July 17, 2014 Yes, Hon'ami Koson sayagaki. Blade length is 31.8cm 30.45cm/11.99 in. Quote
Nobody Posted July 17, 2014 Report Posted July 17, 2014 On the front there's also the length noted, and on the backside it's signed by who wrote the sayagaki. Time for a little homework, don't you think? Tell us what you see and we'll fill in the rest. :D Unfortunatly Barrie did not have enough time for his homework. Quote
Barrie B Posted July 17, 2014 Author Report Posted July 17, 2014 Then you to every one who has assisted so far… Guido, I think I see a date - Showa at the top. I will work on it over the next day or so… Can be a bit difficult to read.. Thanks for the assistance so far and for confirming what little I had. Barrie B. Quote
Brian Posted July 17, 2014 Report Posted July 17, 2014 Strange that the shirasaya would have parted company from the sword. It would definitely add value to the sword (unless the owner was resubmitting for a better attribution) I think it is definitely worth preserving. Way better than an autograph in some autograph book, and the Honami are pretty famous when it comes to Japanese swords. Brian Quote
Gabriel L Posted July 17, 2014 Report Posted July 17, 2014 That's a really nice tsunagi… niju habaki in wood? Someone cared about this piece. I wonder why it got separated. Quote
Barrie B Posted July 18, 2014 Author Report Posted July 18, 2014 Hello all, Well I have tried to figure out what is written on the Ura and I am sure it is a date and his signature [Hon'ami Koson (with Kao)] but I do not have enough research material to figure it out. :? I can just read Showa at the top (because of the style of writing - very difficult to make out but I know enough to realise it says Showa) and I can make out 'Month' so I am guessing it says some thing like dated first half of the 5th month in Showa x..?… or maybe one of the zodiac years are mentioned in the date I don't see 'Hachi' so it wasn't a lucky month... Barrie B. Quote
Gabriel L Posted July 18, 2014 Report Posted July 18, 2014 Barrie, I only see one partial pic of the ura… did you have a full ura pic you meant to post? Quote
Alan Morton Posted July 18, 2014 Report Posted July 18, 2014 Be careful Baz , those two blokes over there will sell you anything I've been told they've got wooden Tsuba as well and don't take any wooden dimes off them. Alan Quote
Barrie B Posted July 19, 2014 Author Report Posted July 19, 2014 Al, you're a funny guy.. Don't you like wooden Tsuba? :lol: I was going to use the Tsunagi for a project I had in mind, and this whole package was less than half of getting a new Tsunagi made; however, now I have started researching the Sayagaki, I will just leave as is I think now.. Another curio for the cabinet… We all have them..! Anyhow, apologies; there was no photo of the date, but I have added one now. I have a basic 'Date Book' but it does not seem to be helping me here. As previously discussed, any assistance would be appreciated. Barrie B. Quote
Guido Posted July 19, 2014 Report Posted July 19, 2014 This one has me, too, stumped - here's what I think I can read: 昭和拾 ... 霜月 ... 拾 is the old way to write "10", and 霜月 (shimotsuki) is the old way to write "November". Looks like it's *my* time to do my homework , or mercifully our resident translators chime in. Quote
Nobody Posted July 19, 2014 Report Posted July 19, 2014 As far as I think I can read; 昭和拾年乙亥霜月中浣 - Showa 10th year, Kinoto-I, middle of November (I am not sure about "亥") Quote
Barrie B Posted July 19, 2014 Author Report Posted July 19, 2014 Thank you to both of you.. I was never going to get that…! Much appreciated. Barrie B. Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.